Apparatus for forming and assembling articles



Oct. 8, 1946. ac, EuH us EI'AL I 2,409,147-

- APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND ASSEMBLING ARTICLES Filed July 20, 1943 5sheets-sheet 1 3 M/ VN 701% 5 G. MEL/HA us 6. W MERRILL ATTORMFYh-8,1946 MNEUHAUS Em 2 409,141

APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND ASSEMBLING ARTICLES Filed July 20, 1943 ISSheet s-Sheet 2 IN VZW TORS iC/Vt'l/HAUS 4. W VmR/u JA' AZTOR/Vfy Oct.8, 1946. a. c. NEUHAUS ETAL APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND ASSEMBLINGARTICLES Filed July 20, 1945 '5 Sheets-Sheet :5

MIVHVTORS 6i/VH/HAu-s CW VmR/u f. J6 Z. 4 -74 fist. 3, 35546.

E. C. NEUHAUS ET AL Filed July 20, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 D s L y NQ Q mmmMfl 7 HR M SQ m0 R g n RM hm V 7A Patented Oct. 8, 1946 UNlTED STATESPATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR FORIWING AND ASSEIVIBLING ARTICLESApplication July 20, 1943, Serial No. 495,472

Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for forming and assembling articles,and more particularly to an apparatus for forming a spring clip from astrip of material and assembling it on a jack such as used in making anelectrical contact.

In the manufacture of some types of lacks, such as used in makingelectrical contacts, it may be desirable to assemble a resilient clip onthe jack to aid in retaining a plug when inserted therein. In accordancewith one practice, the clips are formed and then later manuallyassembled on the jacks with the aid of specially designed tools. This isa slow and diflicult opera- An object of the present invention is toprovide an efiective and efficient apparatus for forming and assemblingarticles.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, an apparatus may beprovided having a punch and die mechanism for punching and forming aclip from strip material, severing the partially formed clip from thestrip, transferring it to another level and then assembling it on a jackblank.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be moreapparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunctionwith the drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a vertical, sectional view takensubstantially along th midline of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical, sectional view of theapparatus, shown in Fig. 1, showing, however, the punch mechanism inraised position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional ziew of the assemblingpunch in elevated posi- Fig. 4 is a vew similar to Fig. 3 showing theposition of the punch as it assembles the clip on the jack blank;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the forming jaws as theyengage the clip;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the completed jack;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view along the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view along the line 88 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a plan view, partly in section, of the die assembly;

Fig. 10 shows a strip of material as a clip is formed therefrom;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view along the line ll-ll of Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view along the line |2-I2 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view. along the line l3|3 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13 showing the ejector arm in loweredand advanced position;

Fig. 15 is a vertical sectional view along the line I5l5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 16 is a vertical sectional view line l6l6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 17 is a bottom view of the punch mechanism as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 18 is a horizontal sectional view along line l8-l8 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 19 is a vertical sectional view along the line l9-I9 of Fig. 18;and

Fig. 20 is a perspective view showing the forming jaws.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, an apparatus isillustrated for forming a clip from a strip of material and thenassembling the clip on a jack in which punching, forming and assemblingoperations are simultaneously performed on different portions of thestrip. In this apparatus, a die bolster block 25 is mounted on a table26 and supports a number of die members 21, 28 and 29, to be describedhereinafter, which are rigidly fixed to the bolster block 25. A numberof cutting and forming punches, also to be described hereinafter, aremounted on a punch block 32 which is fixed to the lower end of a ram 35by which the punch assembly may be reciprocated with respect to theseveral die members, the assembly being positioned above the dieassembly. 7 y

In the operation of this apparatus, a strip 35 of a suitable materialmay be supplied from a along the the reel (not shown) and is fed to thepunch and die.

assembly by a hitch feed designated generally at 36, the feed beingoperated during the reciprocation of the punch assembly by a cam 31mounted on the lower right side of the block 32, as shown in Fig. 1. Thecam 31 engages a roller 38 associated with the hitch feed and advancesthe strip a predetermined amount during each reciprocation of the punchassembly.

As the strip is fed forward by the hitch feed, it is moved into positionover an I-shaped aperture in formed in the die member. 21, the stripbeing guided across the die member by two spaced retaining plates 41which.are boltedto the upper surfaces of the die members 21, 28 and 29.After the strip is moved into position over the aperture 46, the stripthen becomes stationary and a punch 43, suitably shaped to punch anI-shaped blank from the strip in cooperation with the I-shaped aperture45] in the die memher 21, is then moved downwardly by the ram. Astripper plate 44 is associated with the I-shaped punch 43, and providedwith an aperture 45 through which the punch may extend. A number ofsprings 46 are also provided to move the stripper plate relatively tothe punch 43 when the punch is raised after punching a blank from thestrip. The blank so punched drops through a recess 4-! formed in thebolster block 25, which communicates with the I-shaped aperture 40 inthe die member 21.

As the punch assembly rises, the hitch feed, which has been moved to theright by the cam 31, advances the strip 35 a predetermined distance andin the next reciprocation of the punch assembly, a similar I-shapedblank is punched from the strip, forming thus a clip blank 58, as shownin Fig. 10. In the succeeding reciprocation of the punch assembly, thestrip having been again advanced a predetermined distance, a corner d9of two adjacent clip blanks is bent slightly upwards. This bent cornerfacilitates the insertion of a plug in the completed jack. The bendingis performed by a wedge-shaped raised member mounted in the die member28. The member 58 bears against the lower side of the strip andcooperates with a suitably recessed punch 53 l, which extends through anaperture 52 in the stripper plate 44 and is engageable with the upperside of the strip. The punch 5| is mounted in a supporting block 53which is fixed to the punch block 32. Immediately adjacent this punchand fixed also to the lower side of the block 53 is a strip aligningfinger 54 which, when the punch assembly is moved downward, extends intoa suitably formed recess 55 in the die block 28 and engages a lowerblanked portion 56 of the strip 35, thus aligning the clip blank withthe bending punch and die assembly and also with the other parts of theassembly.

Upon the. next reciprocation of the punch assembly, forming fingers 51,which are mounted in the block 53 and extend through an aperture 58 inthe stripper plate 44, move downwardly and engage the edges of the blank48 and inv cooperation with a fixed die member 5% positioned in anaperture Bil in the die member 28, bend the edges downwardly, as shownin Fig. 1, to form the blank into a U-shape. These fingers are normallyurged apart by a spring pressed plunger 61 slidably mounted in the block32; however, as the lower ends of the forming fingers, which are beveledas shown in Figs. 1 and 2, engage the sides of the aperture 60, they aremoved inward and complete the bending of the clip blank.

A pair of ejector members 62 is positioned adjacent the fixed member 59and when the fingers 5! move downwardly, these ejector members arethereby moved downward against the pressure of a helically coiled spring63 mounted in the block 25. As the punch assembly and fingers 5'! moveupward, the ejector pins engage the downwardly bent edges of the clipblank 48 and raise it above the fixed member 59.

In order to insure, however, that the strip at this point will be raisedsufiiciently to permit it to be advanced to the next operating position,a pair of parallel, spaced, flat springs 64 is mounted in the uppersurface of the die member 27'. The springs extend'along the inner edgesof the retaining plates 4| and across the die member 28. As the strip isadvanced, its edges rest on the springs 65 and, consequently, when thepunch assembly is in elevated position, the strip is raised to theposition shown in Fig. '2. When the punch assembly moves downward,however, the flat springs B l are also pressed downward and are receivedin longitudinally extending recesses 85 formed in the die members 2! and28. Then, as the punch assembly again rises, the springs 64 raise thestrip and the partially formed clips over the edge of the die member 28.

As will be seen in Fig. 2, the left upper corner of the die member 28 isprovided with a recess 85 which communicates with a similar recess 61formed in the right upper corner of the die member 29, thus providing aspace for the formed clips to move in. The portions of the retainingplates 3! which extend over the die member 2.) are provided with atapering undercut $8 to guide the strip downward into the recess 61 andto aid in bringing a partially formed clip into position for theassembling operation.

Prior to assembling the clip on the article, the clip is severed fromthe strip 35 by a cutting member 69 which is positioned between a pairof clip retaining jaws 16 which is integrally formed at the lower endsof a pair of fingers l l The fingers H and the cutting member 59 arepositioned in aperture '12 formed in a cross block 13, the fingers beingslidably mounted therein while the cutting member 69 is fixed to theblock by a suitably formed nut '54 which threadedly engages the block13, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, l5 and 16. The block 73 is itself positionedbetween a pair of spaced housing blocks 75 which is fixed to theunderside of the punch bolster block 32, the block 13 being held inplace between these blocks by inwardly extending shoulders '56,integrally formed with the lower ends of the blocks F5. As may be seenin Figs. 15 and 16, the block 13 is vertically movable with respect tothe housing blocks 15, being urged downward, however, by a pair ofcoiled springs H, which is positioned in sleeves l8 slidably mounted inthe bolster block 32, and which bears against the upper side of thecross block 13. When the punch assembly is moved downward and intoengagement with the fixed die assembly, the cross block 73 is movedupward relatively to the housing blocks 75 against the pressure of thesprings H, as shown in Fig. 16,

being lifted by a shelf 36 which is integrally formed with the left endof the stripper plate 44 and which engages the lower side of the block13. The left end of this shelf is suitably recessed to permit thefingers I! to extend therethrough.

In order to retain the fingers 'l'l in the block 13, the upper ends ofthe fingers are provided with integrally formed portions 9| which extendat right angles to the upper ends of each finger, as

I shown inFigs. 15 and 16. These horizontal portions of the fingers arevertically movable in a slot 8?. which is formed in the upper portion ofthe cross block #3. The aperture 12 in the block !3 in which the lowerends of the fingers are positioned is made large enough to permit thefingers to move slightly apart when the punch is raised and to rest onopposite upper edges 83 of the aperture 72. The fingers are thenpivotable on thes edges so that the jaws 10 may be moved apart as theyfirst engage a clip blank and then the fingers 'H to urge them apart. Ahelically coiled spring 88, which is positioned in an aperture 89 formedin the punch block 32 and retained therein by a threaded member 99,bears against the upper surface of the plate 85 and provides theresilient pressure.

As the punch assembly moves downwards, the jaws l0 engage the'partiallyformed clip blank which is attached to the strip 35, the jaws movingapart to permit the blank to be positioned therebetween, as shown inFig. 3, and the cutting member 69, in cooperation with an aperture 9|formed in the die member 29, severs the clip from the strip 35.Continued downward movement of the jaws 19 positions the severed clip ona jack 93 which is positioned in a chamber 94 fo'rmedin the die block29, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The jacks are supplied from a magazine 95positioned in the left portion of the die block 29 and communicatingwith a rectangularly slotted aperture 95 formed in the left upperportion of the block 29, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 11 through 14. Thejacks may be manually fed into the die block. In a jack of the typeshown, the portion thereof about which the spring clip is to beassembled is provided with a recess 91, as shown in Fig. 7, to receivethe inwardly bent portions of the clip. Since the left end of the jackis also recessed to facilitate soldering in a subsequent operation,proper positioning of the jack may be effected by providing a ledge 98extending along the left interior portion of the magazine 95 and ledge99 positioned along the corresponding portion of the slot 96 andextending into the chamber 94 in the die member 29. As the jacks are fedthrough th magazine and into the die member 29, the recessed left endsof the jacks bear against these ledges, as may be seen in Figs. 11 and12, and the clearances of the interior of the slot 96 and magazin 95 aresuch that the correct axial position of the jacks for the assemblingoperation is thereby obtained.

The forward jack, after it is fed from the magazine 95 into the slot 96of the die member 29, is engaged by a stop member I91, shown in detailin Fig. 20, which is held in elevated position by a plunger I02 againstthe lower end of which bears a spring I93 positioned in the die bolsterblock 25.

As the clip is positioned on the jack, shouldered portions 35 formed inthe lower ends of the fingers i! engage the upper edges of the apertur9| formed in the die member 29, as shown in Fig. 4,

and are prevented from moving further downwardly. However, the punchassembly itself continues to move downward and the cutting member 59positions the clip on the jack, as shown in Fig. 4, the cutting memberbeing moved downward relatively to the now stationary jaws 19. At thesame time, as the cutting member 59 deposits the clip on the jack, aretaining finger Hi1, rigidly mounted on the underside of the crossblock 13 and extending downwardly therefrom, as shown in Fig. 15,engages the left end of the jack and holds the jack in position for thenext operation in which the downwardly extending sides of the clip blankare formed about the jack.

After the clip has been positioned on the jack, a pair of cam operatedjaws H9, which are slidably mounted in the die member 29, are movedtogether by a air of cam arms H l which are fixed to the lower side ofthe punch assembly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and which engage cammingsurfaces Il2 integrally formed with the jaws H0.

These jaws are shown in detail in Fig. 20 together with the sto member10!. As these laws move together, as shown in sequential illustration inFigs. 3, 4 and 5, the lower edges of the partially formed clip arethereby bent about the jack. A

1 completely assembled article is shown in Figs. 6,

7 and 8.

Ejection of the finished article from the die member 29 is accomplishedby a universally mounted ejector arm H5 positioned in a recess I IS inthe die'member 29 and having a knife edged projection H1 integrallyformed with the jack engaging end thereof and extending into the chamber94. A rod H8, fixed to the lower end of the punch block i5, pivots thejack engaging end of the ejector arm downwards as the punch assembly ismoved downward and out of engagement with the front edge of the jack 93on which a clip is being assembled, while a helically coiled spring 519, having one end attached to the outer end of the ejector arm 5 i5 andits other end attached to the die bolster block 25, pivots the ejectorarm sidewards and to the left, as shown in Figs. 1, 1 3 and 14, bringingthe rear edg of its knife edge projection H1 into contact with the rearedge of one end of the jack which is at the same time held motionless bythe retaining finger I91. Then, as the punch assembly is raised'and theretaining finger i0! moved out of engagement with the jack, thusreleasing the jack, th ejector arm H5 is pivoted upward by'a plungerIZOactuated by a helically coiled spring 12! which bears against theunderside of the plunger. The recess in the die block 29 in which theknife edge pro-' jection I i is positioned is so formed that, as the armi5 is moved upward, the projecting end portion lihwhich is then inengagement with the left side of the completed jack, is cammed to the 94of the die member 29. The path of the knife edge member H1 is thussubstantially rectangular.

While, in describing the operation of this apparatus, th several stepsperformed have been described successively and with regard to theforming and assembling of a single clip, it will be understood that theseveral steps are simultaneously performed on different portions of thestrip upon each reciprocation of the apparatus. Also, while but oneembodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it will beunderstood that many changes and modifications may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an assembling apparatus, a fixed cutting die, a movable cuttingmember cooperating with said cutting die for severing a blank from astrip of material, a pair of transfer jaws yieldably carried by saidcutting member and projecting in advance of said cutting member andnormally movable therewith for receiving said severed blank andtransferring said severed blank to a predetermined position, resilientmeans for maintaining said transfer jaws in said normal advancedrelation to said cutting member, means for actuating said cutting memberto sever said blank from said strip and carry said blank to saidpredetermined position, and means for arresting the movement of thetransfer jaws adjacent said predetermined position to cause arelative'movement between said jaws and said cutting member to ejectsaid blank.

2. In an assembling apparatus, a fixed cutting die, a movable cuttingmember cooperating with said cutting die for severing a blank from astrip of material, a pair of transfer jaws yieldably carried by andprojecting in advance of said cutting member and normally movabletherewith for receiving said severed blank and transferring said severedblank to an ejecting position, resilient means for urging said jawstoward each other to retain said severed blank therebetween, resilientmeans for maintaining said jaws in said normal advanced relation to saidcutting member, means for stopping said transfer jaws at said ejectionposition, and means for actuating said cutting member to sequentiallysever said blank from said strip and eject said blank from said transfermembers.

3. In an assembling apparatus, a fixed die, a relatively movable cuttingmember cooperating with said fixed die for severing a blank from a stripof material, an actuator for moving said cutting member to sever andmove said blank to a predetermined position, a pair of jaws yieldablydisposed on opposite sides of and extending in advance of said cuttingmember and normally movable therewith for engaging said severed blankand transferring said blank to said predetermined position incooperation with said cutting member, laterally extending arms on saidjaws for limiting the advance movement of said jaws relative to saidcutting member, resilient means for urging said jaws in advance of saidcutting member, a force transmitting memberinterposed between saidresilient means and said jaws and engaging the arms of said jaws forimparting a force to each of said arms tending to rock said arms andyieldably urge said jaws toward each other, means for arresting themovement of said jaws prior to the completion of the advance movement ofsaid cutting member to cause said cutting member to eject said blankfrom said jaws.

4. An article assembling apparatus comprising an assembling station,means for transferring parts to said station and assembling them, afixedstop member at the assembling station for engaging an assembledarticle adjacent one end thereof, a movable stop member having astopping surface in the path of said article to engage the articladjacent its other end, said movable stop member having an inclinedejecting surface, means for moving the stopping surface of said movablestop member out of the path of said article upon assembly of thearticle, and means for thereafter engaging said inclined ejectingsurface with the article to pivot the article about said fixed stopmember and eject it.

5. An article'assembling apparatus comprising means for guiding anarticle in a predetermined path, a movable stop member having a stoppingsurface in the path of said article to engage the article, said movablestop member having an inclined ejecting surface, means for limiting themovement of said movable stop member in one direction to stop saidarticle in alignment with a part to be. assembled thereon, means forassembling said part with said article, means for moving the stoppingsurface of said movable stop member out of the path of said articleafter the part has been assembled thereon, and means for thereafterengaging said inclined ejecting surface with the article to eject saidarticle.

' ELMER C. NEUHAUS.

CHARLES W. VERRILL.

